Wednesday, April 22, 2015

5 Ways That Bosses Drive Away Employees

A recent survey finds that about half of employees quit their jobs to get away from bad bosses.

Count me as one of them. I've quit two jobs in my career because I believed the bosses were actually hurting my ability to do my job. I don't think these bosses (one was a man, the other a woman) were horrible people -- they were just horrible managers.

In the Gallup survey, the 7,200 people polled wanted more communication from their managers. They wanted regular interactions with their bosses -- they wanted someone who cared about them as people with their own hopes and dreams. That kind of communication led to greater trust and engagement, the study found.

So what are some other things that make employees want to run from managers? Here's a short list -- feel free to chime in with your own suggestions.

Bad bosses:

1. Play favorites. There is no level playing field with bad managers. They don't have any impartial system in place for handing out promotions, big projects or even parking spaces.

2. Send emails at 2 a.m. Bosses who communicate this way make employees feel they're never away from the job and compel others to be just as obnoxious. Vacations? Sick? No matter. You're going to get emails so that you always feel like you're being monitored.

3.Focus on weaknesses. Your performance review makes you feel angry or depressed. Your every flaw seems to be documented by the NSA, while the good things you've done barely rate a passing mention. A performance evaluation should be well-balanced and any feedback throughout the year should also point out what you're doing right.

4. Are secretive. Bosses who hide behind their desks and don't share industry news, company changes or the business strategy are being petty and selfish. While they certainly can't share some information, employees who feel they're working in the dark will soon seek the light -- and find another job.

5. Are inflexible. Employees are asked to work erratic hours to keep up with international demands or scheduling changes, yet these bosses balk any time a worker needs to work from home or leave early to take care of a family issue. Bosses who won't deal with workers and their needs individually are using a double standard that is unfair and short-sighted.